ISOPRINOSINE STIMULATES GRANULOCYTE CHEMILUMINESCENCE AND INHIBITS MONOCYTE CHEMILUMINESCENCE IN-VITRO

Isoprinosine may delay disease progression in human immunodeficiency v irus infection, presumably through modulation of lymphocyte function. However, the influence of isoprinosine on phagocyte function is largel y unknown. This study describes the effects of isoprinosine and azidot hymidine on phagocyte chemiluminescence and migration. Incubation with isoprinosine concentrations of 250 mu g/ml and above increased the ch emiluminescence of granulocytes. Random migration of granulocytes was decreased at isoprinosine concentrations of 50 mu g/ml and higher, but chemotaxis was not affected. Azidothymidine exerted no effect on the chemiluminescence or migration of granulocytes. For monocytes, luminol -enhanced chemiluminescence was reduced at isoprinosine concentrations of 250 mu g/ml and above, whereas migration was not affected. These f indings suggest that the immunomodulatory properties of isoprinosine m ay extend to phagocytic cells. This may be of significance in the trea tment of immunodeficiency states.